Suppose I started playing this game today ....

Amathe

My fear is that after making it through 100 levels (no interest in the token), I would find myself at end game wearing rags. Which is fine, except I am concerned no one would group with me.

So how many weeks, months or years approximately does it take to acquire good enough gear to get in on group instances or lower tier raids? Or are my fears unjustified for some reason?

Also, any tips on a good server these days for someone in my position (US, East Coast). 

rojoArcueid

last time i played (when Draenor launched) you could gear up eaasily by doing random dungeons. Good enough gear to start doing random LFR or running with a guild to get you geared. How long it takes depends on how much free time you have. I dont do end game so i didnt pursue the "top tier" gear threadmill. I wear whatever a quest gives me or a boss drops me.

winghaven1

Yeah no worries it won't take that long. Just do the story content and it will reward you with decent gear to start doing dungeons. Dungeon gear will then permit you to join the raids and gain even better gear. It's quite easy, maybe too easy? I don't know. But don't worry. Starting from lvl 1 is admirable and very much encouraged. You'll learn your class more and get into the story of the game and its mindset. Worst decision you could make as a new player is to instantly boost into a lvl 100 with no prior knowledge how to actually play WoW and by doing so you could actually damage people in group play.

Just have fun out there!

Amathe

Thanks for the advice guys. I played WoW at launch, got to max level, then quit. Tossed the account. A year or two later, I went back and played for 2 years. Raided a lot. But then quit. Tossed the account. You'd think I would have learned better, but no.

Now I'm bored and want to go back while I wait years on games that may or may not ever materialize. I looked at the WoW website and the token just seems kind of dodgy to me; besides, I like questing and leveling. I just don't want to arrive at max level and be treated like a leper lol. 

OhhPaigey

Gearing is easy. So is grouping. Many of their past updates and what not have targeted those problems.

holdenhamlet

MMOs are generally careful to make sure new players don't face an impossible climb to gear-up at endgame.

Warlyx

pvp gear , in 2 play seasons u can gear yourself nearly to the max ilvl :P , after that normal > heroic raid and gear yourself in pve gear + legendary ring

Thorkune

Skuall said:

pvp gear , in 2 play seasons u can gear yourself nearly to the max ilvl :P , after that normal > heroic raid and gear yourself in pve gear + legendary ring

What Skuall said /\

 I was amazed how easy it was to gear up doing PvP. I'm not a PvPer, but I suffered through a few days of it and had some nice stuff in no time. I had no idea you could get raid caliber gear doing PvP. The last time I tried PvP in WoW, the gear had PvP stats. Now, you just get a PvP bonus if you are wearing said gear in a battleground. 

Amathe

I just again want to thank the folks in this thread who helped update me. Much appreciated. 

Darksworm

Thorkune said:

Skuall said:

pvp gear , in 2 play seasons u can gear yourself nearly to the max ilvl :P , after that normal > heroic raid and gear yourself in pve gear + legendary ring

What Skuall said /\

 I was amazed how easy it was to gear up doing PvP. I'm not a PvPer, but I suffered through a few days of it and had some nice stuff in no time. I had no idea you could get raid caliber gear doing PvP. The last time I tried PvP in WoW, the gear had PvP stats. Now, you just get a PvP bonus if you are wearing said gear in a battleground. 

"LFM N HFC - Full Clear!  No PvP Gear - Will Armory You"

A common occurrence in Pre-Made queues.

I don't blame them.

josko9

Just queue for the dungeons, you'll be max level in a week. I woudn't bother doing quests, it's such a huge grind with garbage story etc.

Antiquated

Amathe said:

My fear is that after making it through 100 levels (no interest in the token), I would find myself at end game wearing rags. Which is fine, except I am concerned no one would group with me.

So how many weeks, months or years approximately does it take to acquire good enough gear to get in on group instances or lower tier raids? Or are my fears unjustified for some reason?

No one sneers at gear at L7 (the first instance).

It is possible to level all the way to the cap entirely in quest reward greens, it's been done. Or you could run the dungeons along the way, faster and more effective, plus you won't cap in rags.

In fact, if you plan to raid, you'd better run a lot of instances along the way.

Every tier has an entry level raid. Sane people don't gear shame at entry level. (Note the "sane." You will meet psychos in any group activity; they can be safely ignored.)

Colt47

From experience, no mmo is easier to step into than World of Warcraft.  You literally can come back after being gone for two years strait and even during a post expansion slump get all the gear you'll need to see content through.  Raid Finder has made it so that all content is basically accessible, with the only downside being you'll probably burn out a lot faster at end game than before since there's no wall to climb to get through the final raids.  

Pepeq

Don't bother worrying about gear.  At level 100 you will be doing dailies in Tanaan Jungle that will yield you iLvl 695 epics... pretty much allowing you to waltz into the final raid in WoD.  

In other words, you can't fail... you can only get bored.